Amendment 49

Illegal Anti-49 Electioneering Yields New Complaint
Well-Heeled Issue Committee’s Attacks Overstep Legal Bounds
ENGLEWOOD, CO – A leading proponent of a good-government initiative on this November’s ballot has filed a complaint against a group registered to oppose a different amendment.
Jon Caldara today submitted a formal complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State against the issue committee Coloradans [...]

October 22, 2008
Complaint: Amendment 49 Opponents Break Law
Issue Committees Illegally Transferred Campaign Resources
ENGLEWOOD, CO – Supporters of a good-government initiative on this November’s ballot say a citizen’s complaint against amendment opponents highlights the need for reform.
Today, Colorado Springs resident and former school board candidate Reginald Perry filed a formal complaint against the issue committee Protect [...]

Here’s the original YouTube video that made the Ethical Standards sock puppets into stars. You can find more information at Jon Caldara’s blog.

Jefferson County teacher Michael Alcorn and Independence Institute policy analyst Ben DeGrow joined host Jon Caldara on the latest episode of Independent Thinking, to explain how Amendment 49 (the Ethical Standards initiative) works - and how it doesn’t do what so many of the opposition’s scare tactics suggest it will do.
The entire episode is available [...]

Following up on Jon Caldara’s high-stakes offer to Gov. Bill Ritter, the editors of the Colorado Springs Gazette dove into the fray this morning:

Amendment 49 is an outstanding proposal that would restore the rights of government employees to control more of their own earnings, while forcing unions to collect their own fees. The Gazette enthusiastically [...]

Yesterday Amendment 49 proponent Jon Caldara made an offer to withdraw the initiative if Gov. Bill Ritter would revoke his executive order unionizing state government. Giving the offer little or no consideration, the governor gave his answer to Channel 7 News:
“For his offer, I would simply say I decline,” Ritter said.

Why was the offer made?
“The [...]

From a press release sent out to explain a deal Amendment 49 proponent Jon Caldara issued today in a letter to Gov. Bill Ritter:

DENVER–Amendment 49’s leading proponent has formally offered to remove the initiative from the ballot if Colorado’s governor will work to stop the unionization of state government.
Jon Caldara today submitted a letter to [...]

A letter issued today from Jon Caldara to Gov. Bill Ritter (quoted in full):

September 22, 2008
The Honorable Bill Ritter
Governor, State of Colorado
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203-1792
Governor Ritter:
Since you took office, we often have found ourselves on the opposite sides of issues important to the people of Colorado. But now we have the opportunity to forge [...]

Denver Metro Chamber endorses Amendment 49
Despite Political Blackmail Attempt, Support for Ethical Standards Strong Among Colorado’s Business Community
ENGLEWOOD, CO – Amid an orchestrated attempt to blackmail business leaders into funding opposition to measures on this fall’s statewide ballot, a leading voice in Colorado’s business community instead has endorsed a proposal to clean up government payroll [...]

From an editorial in today’s Grand Junction Daily Sentinel on the Ethical Standards Initiative:

Employees could still belong to professional organizations or unions, but would have to pay dues some other way.
Despite the scare tactics from the union-backed mailer, that’s not something that endangers public safety.
“The government shouldn’t be bookkeeper, accountant and collection agency” for these [...]